


The Count Always Gets His Way

by Wormy_Gutz



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Androgynous Apprentice, Bitch Lucio, Insert Apprentice, Other, Unsupportive Asra, Yandere Lucio, but soon - Freeform, im setting things up rn, like not yet, more tags to be added lol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:02:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26913328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wormy_Gutz/pseuds/Wormy_Gutz
Summary: im gonna be honest this is totally self indulgent but ive made the apprentice androgynous so you can enjoy it no matter what ur business isalso there might be death and/or gore but i havent decided yet. the content warnings are there as a precaution but if anyone starts being mean im gonna start killin characters
Relationships: Apprentice & Lucio (The Arcana), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Character(s), Lucio (The Arcana)/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter One

There weren't many things known publicly about the Count. He kept himself heavily in the public eye and public favour, of course, but that left the majority of the knowledge condensed down to an awareness that he was rich and that he was extremely charming. Everyone knew when his birthday was, thanks to the masquerade, and everyone knew that his favourite colours were red and gold, but that was as far as it went. 

For such an extravagant figure, all that was truly ever known about him was what he wanted people to know; his wealth and his appeal.

And, as was expected, it made him extremely popular. 

The few rumours of his selfishness or arrogance were either dismissed by someone who insisted that he was a Count, therefore there wasn't much else to be expected, or it was left to dwindle and disappear when January rolled around and the masquerade came peering around the corner, stealing everyones attention away from his flaws and back to the generosity he flaunted once a year. 

But the biggest issue with Count Lucio wasn't that he was hard to pin down or that there was very little known about him. The biggest issue was that anyone who had met him seemed to despise him. And none of them would give clear reasons why. It was a topic that was dropped as soon as it was brought up, lest there was a reason to get on everyones nerves. 

The issue was, however, that Appra didn't understand why everyone disliked Lucio. And from their experiences, they might have been starting to like him.

They had only attended the masquerade once. It was a beautiful party, rich with music and an array of foods, almost all of which they had never tried before. People filled every room to capacity, and navigating the hallways grew more and more difficult the more time they spent there and the more drinks they had. They were nothing but tipsy, but all hallways looked the same and the music never seemed to grow quieter nor louder in any one spot. 

The only time that they had gotten a break from the festivities was when they had wandered to the farthest part of the palace they could, tucking around a corner to gain some time alone. It was loud, and their head felt simultaneously too light and too heavy, buzzing with the music and the distant chatter of patrons. 

They moved a hand to their face, pulling the mask from where it rested and letting it settle in their palm, tilting their head back. A few breaths of air and they would be fine. Well enough to navigate through the crowd and into the gardens. The labyrinth of hallways could only keep them trapped inside for so long, and the garden would give them fresh air and a chance at privacy, with any luck. 

Appra had been bringing their mask back to their face once more when their alone time had been interrupted by a voice they'd only heard echoed from the cynical, mocking lips of Asra or Julian. 

"What are you doing out here?" asked a voice, thick with some kind of accent that Appra couldn't place and drawled out with an almost accusatory attitude. They lifted their head, the mask still clutched in their hands, and found themselves looking directly into the grey eyes of the Count himself. He was wearing a red and white mask, one with wide eyes to show off the eyeliner and defined brows that he wore, and with ornate sculpted horns, each curling in large swoops and lined with gold that Appra didn't down was authentic. 

Their eyes darted about. The problem with finding somewhere secluded was that there wasn't anyone around to pin the blame on or to divert focus onto. They couldn't simply point out someone else in the same area and say that they didn't realise they weren't meant to be here when they actively sought out somewhere else to be. Though it wouldn't be a total lie - if this was somewhere they weren't supposed to be, they hadn't noticed. 

"I... am I not supposed to be here?" they asked, avoiding the question, only to earn a laugh. 

"Are you? I've never had anyone come towards my wing during the party without reason before. You mean to tell me that you only stumbled over here by accident?" he asked, gesturing down the corridor and towards what they presumed would be his bedroom. How had they gotten so far from the rest of the party? This was the only quiet area they'd been able to find. "I was about to make my grand entrance." 

Appra stopped a moment, face turning steadily redder and redder. Their eyes landed on the mask in their hands, the long bunny ears that stuck out from the top of it. The mask was simple - white with silver decals - and the outfit that went with it wasn't much more extravagant. In fact, stood next to the Count made them feel even smaller than they already had done. Not just with his flowing red coat and cape, lined with fur from something he'd likely hunted himself and all of the gold details that lined the suit, but with the rubies and other precious gemstones he had adorned himself and his mask with. 

How had Appra landed here, of all places?

"I hadn't realised," they blurted, face already growing hotter and hotter with discomfort and growing embarrassment. "That this was your wing, I mean. I hadn't realised. The party was too busy." 

He laughed. Loudly. That seemed to be another word people often used to describe him, both positively and negatively. Lucio was loud. And Appra wasn't sure whether they liked it or not. 

"Too busy?" he echoed, almost mocking. "It's a party! What's the point of a party if it isn't busy? Everyone comes every year solely to celebrate me- of course it's busy!" 

His eyes settled on Appra's face again. They could feel his gaze.  
"And it's a masquerade," he said, tapping the mask in their hands. It wasn't a blatant command, but it was also easy to figure out what he meant by that. They stumbled a moment, but nodded and moved the mask back to their face, fixing it firmly in place. He smiled at them, making Appra's cheeks turn even darker. Likely out of embarrassment, but they couldn't tell exactly. 

He then offered out his arm in a rather bold and hard to refuse gesture.  
"Since you've wandered so far, I'll escort you back to where the fun is," he said, his words carrying an amount of unearned confidence that they had hooked their arm around his before they'd realised what they were doing. Lucio smiled, and led Appra back towards the party.

And they had been almost inseparable. Not by Appra's choice, however, and instead because Lucio had such a dynamic personality and made it almost impossible for them to slip away. Throughout conversations, he'd keep them close for no clear reason, then when he lost interested in the chatter he would say he wanted to show them to another room, to another attraction, and they would be dragged off elsewhere. 

Though it was unprecedented, and it came out of nowhere for someone with Lucio's status to take someone like Appra around on their arm, they had to admit that the party became far more likeable when there was someone keeping them company. Perhaps if Asra hadn't been so insistent on staying home, they would have avoided Lucio entirely. 

Perhaps, if Asra had come with them, Appra wouldn't find themselves confused as to why, unlike everyone else, they didn't hate Lucio. 

Though that may have been the first time they'd run into him, it hadn't been the last. Once, they'd bumped into him while they were in town and trying to collect ingredients. He'd been making some kind of a fuss about Selasi refusing to sell him anything. Appra had been meaning to go in and get some pumpkin bread, only to end up distracting Lucio from whatever had upset him and buying two rolls from Selasi, giving one to the Count when they were outside. 

It was an odd experience - buying something for someone so rich. It had been even stranger when he'd taken it and insisted upon returning the favour somehow. His arm hooked around their waist and he began to lead them through the market, attracting a dozen stares with every step they took.

By the time Appra got home, they had two bags full of newly-purchased clothes and scarves that Lucio had given them, and Asra had caught the rumours that they had been hanging around with Lucio for the day. 

He didn't seem upset, but he also left for the evening to go to the woods. Appra spent the evening at home, looking over everything that they'd been given. Half of these clothes they didn't even want, but Lucio was a difficult man to refuse.

That night, as Appra lay down and tried to get some rest, they were sure that they could still feel the ghost of his fingers on their skin. 

The third time that they'd ended up meeting with Lucio, it seemed that he'd actually gone about seeking them out. To the point where Asra had opened the shop door to see him and instantly slammed it shut. Appra ended up going outside when Asra told them Lucio was refusing to leave. 

Appra didn't question how Lucio knew where they lived, figuring that someone had pointed him in the direction of the shop, but suggested that he didn't come unannounced again. When they told Lucio that Asra didn't like him, he only laughed and insisted that 'everyone' liked him, and that Asra was no exception.

Once more, they didn't comment, but instead let Lucio take them around some of the more expensive stalls closer to the palace. When he invited them inside for something to eat, Appra once more found themselves unable to refuse. They didn't return until late that night, by which point Asra found himself growing tired of the disappearances. 

"I don't see what the issue is," Appra had been saying, setting down their bag and taking out some of the new things that Lucio had bought them, including some expensive lapsang souchong tea leaves that they had picked up for Asra. "It isn't as if I'm moving into the palace. It's only the occasional visit every so often."

"He's not a good person, Appra," Asra was insisting. "All of the things he's done - the flooded district, the neglect - you're going to ignore that?" 

"What am I supposed to do? Bring it up to him? Pout and flutter my eyelashes and ask him if he could fix every problem, pretty please? We're barely more than acquaintances," they muttered, voice slightly tinted with bitterness. "I don't know what kind of person he is. That's why I'm getting to know him."

Asra muttered something bitter under his breath and said something about going out. He was collecting his bags and preparing to leave when Appra turned to look at him.  
"How long are you going to be gone this time?" they asked, anger almost seeping into their tone. "Are you going back to the woods for a few nights? Or are you going to go on another one of your journeys and leave me alone for months?" 

He was moving towards the door by then. He didn't say anything in return, and at this rate Appra would be lucky to even get a goodbye. Their eyes wandered over to him. 

"You're taking the deck?" they asked, looking at the packet as it sat in his bag. He didn't say anything for a few more moments.  
"I'm going on another trip," he said, taking his hat from by the door, his scarf settled over his shoulders. "It shouldn't be more than a month."

Appra's stomach twisted, bitter hurt flaring through their system.  
"Again? Is this all the warning I get?"

Asra looked at them for a few moments before turning, leaving the shop without another word. 

Appra slammed down the box containing the lapsang souchong they'd bought, glaring at the door where Asra had just been. Fine. /Fine/. 

If he was going to leave yet again, without so much as a word, then Appra would let him. In fact, they would make the most of their new month alone. Their footsteps felt louder on the wooden floorboards without anyone else's following, but they tried not to think about it. Not to let their thoughts linger on Asra's sudden and abrupt disappearance. They sat down at the table in the backroom, picking up a scroll of parchment and a pot of ink, preparing themselves to write a letter. One directed to the palace, so that Count Lucio would know that he would be welcome to visit whenever he desired over the next few weeks. 

That, however, was cut short when loud knocks rang out at the door, starting Appra into spilling the pot of ink all over the tablecloth and onto themselves. They bit back a curse, frustrating burning in their system. This was the cherry on top of an already awful day, it seemed. 

Regardless, they set the pot down and began bundling up the tablecloth, bringing it with them to the kitchen and leaving it in the sink to wash the stain out of. First, however, they approached the door to the shop and pulled it open. 

"I'm sorry, but we're closed for the night. If you want to come back tomorrow-..." Appra lifted their head, eyes landing on none other than Count Lucio. 

And they were stood there in ink-stained clothes, alone in the shop. 

"It's closed?" he asked, his eyes flicking from their face to the stains on their shirt. A grimace appeared on his lips and he made no attempts to keep it discreet. "That's... a shame. Can't you make an exception to the rule for the Count?" 

The ghost of a smile appeared at their lips.  
"I'm afraid not. What a terrible business practie it would be to have favouritism in practice," they hummed, chastising him. A smile curled onto his lips as he invited himself inside.  
"So I'm your favourite?" he asked, his arm hooking around Appra's waist. They were only barely quick enough to place a hand on his chest and keep him at a distance.  
"The- the ink is still wet," they said, and Lucio detached himself almost immediately.  
"Almost ruined my white suit," he complained, though his suit was perfectly fine, and watched as you turned away from him to begin filling the sink with warm water. 

"Asra's out of town," Appra said over their shoulder. "He should be away for a month, if you'd like to keep me company a while." 

Oh, how Asra would despise knowing that Lucio was there in the shop. Appra almost invited him to stay for the rest of the night, solely out of spite. First, however, they needed to get the ink from their shirt before it could stain. So, disregarding the presence that they were in, they tugged the shirt up over their head and settled it under the warm water filling up the sink. It could soak in there for a while, giving them a chance to go upstairs and get a new shirt on. 

"I'll be back downstairs in a moment," Appra said to Lucio, who seemed to be stunned at how casually Appra had taken their shirt off, and was able to disappear into their bedroom before he could find a response. Then, when they came back down, they'd ask Lucio why he'd arrived at their shop in the first place.


	2. Chapter 2

Regardless of whether or not Appra gave themselves time to indulge in the embarrassment of taking off their shirt (despite not wanting the ink to stain), they were back downstairs shortly. Over their body was a new shirt, one that was made with a soft and silky fabric.

It was one of the ones that the Count had so /generously/ offered to buy while taking them out the other day, and though they had intended to refuse at the time, it was comfortable; and the colour did suit them rather well. 

They came slowly down the stairs, sighing when they reached the bottom. The idea of looking Lucio in the eyes was awkward, but prolonging it would only make it a more self-conscious and awkward action. Their eyes flicked to his as they walked past. If he was affected by what they had done, no matter how, he didn't show it. In fact, the smug smile that settled on his lips was one that he wore all of the time. Especially when it wasn't appropriate. 

"I see you like the shirt," he said, watching as Appra rolled up the sleeves and pushed the ink-stained cloth further into the water, starting to work out the stains. Asra hadn't even been gone thirty minutes and they were already ruining things. Perhaps they'd take a break, too. Appra surely deserved it - much longer feeling as tense as this and their head would turn as white as Asra's. 

Their eyes flicked over their shoulder again. Towards Lucio, where he had settled himself down on the couch. One leg was over the other, not crossed but instead with the ankle of one leg over the knee of the other. Even somewhere like here - where Asra would never have allowed him to enter - he seemed to radiate confidence.

It was enough to make someone want to hate him. 

Such effortless confidence. It bordered on arrogance. The constant smile, the teasing quips, the insistence on buying things as if everyone he spoke to was a charity project, it was almost frustrating. And yet, it was a change of pace that was sorely needed. It was the same rush felt when meeting Julian by the canal, or bumping into Muriel (when they were able to remember the experience). It was something new. Something refreshing. 

And the break in the mundane routine dominated the annoyance with ease. In its wake it left a content comfort. No harm to letting themselves have fun with their new company, while it was still interesting.

"Mhm, it's not bad," they shrugged, watching as the colour of the water started to turn to a foggy grey. "I mean, of all things to get me, I suppose this is a flashy way to impress someone without doing much." 

Without looking, Appra could hear the shifting in his seat. The moment where he paused and tried to catch up to what had been said. His foot settled on the floor. Appra didn't glance over their shoulder, refusing him the satisfaction of thinking that they were interested in him. Instead, they kept their eyes ahead. Firmly ahead. 

"Is that what you think?" he asked, his voice different now. It sent a shiver down their spine. It was low, a challenge being set out but an alluring one. It was like he was pleading for an excuse to prove himself, to make it clear that he could do better than a petty shirt.

Appra pushed the fabric back under the water, taking some scented salts and some soap and adding it to the water so that, once clean, the clothes wouldn't have a bitter, lingering scent of ink.   
"Would you rather I told you everything you wanted to hear?"

It was a simple question, but a direct one. Lucio must have stood at some point - his shadow was appearing over their shoulder. His interest had been piqued. He was waiting for more, hanging onto their words. Perhaps they were the same breath of fresh air for him as he was for them. It would make sense - coming back time and time again for no reason. 

"I would rather you answered my question."

Appra laughed, still not giving him so much as a glance over their shoulder. The stains were starting to lift out properly now - that would be enough. They took the tablecloth out first and wrung it out, letting the dirty water spill back into the sink. 

"I think that you're trying to impress me, and I think that you should know I'm not that easy. I've been taken all across Vesuvia, I've been taken to Nepal and to magical realms. What do you think you could bring to the table? Money? Tall boots?" 

They were smiling to themselves. They unfurled the tablecloth now that they were done washing it and set it aside to dry somewhere later, then digging out their shirt to give it the same treatment. 

"Hey! I have plenty I can bring!" Lucio said, suddenly seeming so defensive. Where was his smug smile now? "I can prove it. Right now." 

Appra let out a huff of air that was almost supposed to be a laugh, setting aside the wet shirt and pulling the plug form the sink, wiping off their hands on a towel and turning to Lucio. He was far closer than they had realised, lingering over their shoulder. When they turned, the two of them were almost too close for comfort.

"You can prove it?" Appra echoed, disbelief in their voice but curiosity lingering in their system. Asra could go on as many journeys as he wanted - it seemed that Appra had found something to occupy themselves for a little while longer. With any luck, if the Count kept up this snappy, arrogant attitude, they could be entertained by him when the month ended and Asra came home. 

Lucio's hand hooked around their waist again. He made it a hobby - casual touching, holding, keeping anyone close, friends and enemies alike. In fact, even if Appra wasn't messing with Lucio and truly hated him, they were sure his behaviour wouldn't change in the slightest.

"I can."

The curiosity was too much. It settled there in their system, buzzing, demanding to be let out. To be released and to find out what it was that the Count was promising.

They leant in closer, eyes fixed on Lucio's, amusement glinting. 

"Then do it."


	3. Chapter 3

Whatever Appra had been expecting, it wasn't anything like this. 

The red market was a decadent sort of place, for somewhere so blatantly illegal. It bustled with people, with stores and with sellers who flaunted their wares shamelessly. The smell was foul and the leftover hum of bloodlust was so strong it made restless magic settle at the fingertips. Were they alone, Appra would have left long ago to escape the claustrophobia that the room enraptured them in. Were they with Asra, they would never have approached the colosseum in the first place. 

But they weren't with Asra. They weren't alone. 

Lucio's arm wrapped firmly around their waist and kept them pulled close, guiding them through the rows of stalls and away from people with the confidence of a man who may as well have lived there. Even with the dimly lit rooms and the bustle of people, his walking never faltered, his pace never stopped, and people seemed to part for him. It gave a great sense of status and was far easier than navigating through bustling Vesuvian streets alone (or with a weaselly magician who weaves through the crowd far easier than thtey ever could) but that wasn't the best part about coming along these parts with Lucio. 

The best part was how eagerly he would offer to give Appra any gifts that caught either of their eyes. They had been in the market for shy of fifteen minutes before Lucio had bought two necklaces and a new shirt for them to wear, slipping the first two over Appra's shoulders and letting them carry the shirt. 

The cobblestones beneath their feet were digging awkwardly into Appra's shoes and the bustle of the crowd made the air thick and humid, but the thrill of being somewhere new, somewhere forbidden and enticing, kept them eager to follow along Lucio's side. Vendors called out to the crowd, promising luxurious goods imported illegally, stolen on pirate ships. Gems and jewels that were certainly fake but priced like they were genuine. Everything, it seemed, flaunted itself to the Count. 

"This is where things get good," he hummed, taking Appra towards a large looking tent, sitting in the middle of the street. It was dark inside, lit with lanterns, but the rattling and clanging of cages and chains from inside warded off anyone with common sense. That must have been why Lucio guided them straight inside. 

They squinted into the darkness, waiting for their eyes to adjust to the little light that they got. Someone sat at the far end, nothing but a silhouette outlined by the dim glow of a lantern set beside them.   
"Lucio?" Appra asked, apprehensive. Eager to get out of the shady tent and away from whatever sat in the cages lining the walls. Light glimmered off of the meshed walls of the cage but never ventured deep enough into them to reveal what was hidden inside. 

"Another shipment?" Lucio asked, entirely dismissing any concerns that his company may have had. His tone changed - his demeanour, too. He shifted out of his usual pompous attitude into another, far more arrogant one. It was like he was flaunting something, but Appra didn't know what the hell he was doing.   
"All rescued from a vessel a little ways offshore," replied the voice in a low, sinister hum. "This close to getting a break and finding out where these are coming from and cutting off the trading paths." 

Lucio's eyes wandered the cages. Appra's eyes rolled.   
"How many?"

The glint of light caught teeth. A smile.   
"Six," he said, voice low and slick. "All looking worse for wear, almost all of them healthy. You going to be my best customer again? Hard to find anyone willing to buy things like this."

Lucio's hand felt about his pockets, digging out a small satchel. it jingled when he held it, but it didn't hold much. Unease started to stir in Appra's stomach, eyes wandering about the cages. What the hell was he going to buy? 

The rest of the exchange was brief. Lucio said he'd take all six of those cages and they agreed briefly on a time before leaving. His arm slipped around Appra's waist once more. Their eyes flicked over to him.   
"It's a bit stuffy," they said. Lucio offered only a laugh, squeezing them closer as he tucked his satchel away again, smiling warmly at them.   
"Isn't that part of the appeal?"

Despite whatever the light squeeze had made them feel, Appra looked away from Lucio.   
"Maybe we should get some fresh air."

That seemed to click. Lucio nodded, his hold getting tighter again as he started to guide them towards the exit.   
"You did challenge me to impress you," he said, as if he felt the need to justify his date choice.

\---

The fresh air felt far more refreshing on Appra's face and in their lungs than they'd expected. The lack of noise and chatter, the lack of a crowd and the brightness of the evening light felt almost overwhelming in itself. Lucio stood a few paces back, though his eyes were fixed on Appra. It took a few moments for them to realise it - there had been the unending sensation of being watched while they were in the market, it almost went by unnoticed. 

Appra lifted their head. Their eyes met with Lucio's.  
"Is there something you're looking at?" they asked, cocking a brow. Lucio's eyes flicked down towards their chest.   
"Admiring my choice," he mused, eyeing the necklaces he'd given them. It was hard to buy. 

Lucio definitely hadn't been looking at the necklaces. At their face, definitely, and perhaps at their neck, but not the glimmering necklaces he'd bought them. 

It wasn't worth bringing it up. 

"Where to now, then?" they asked, getting back to their feet and stretching their arms over their head. The atmosphere of the room had made them tense and awkward, they could still feel the tension between their shoulders and in their neck. "Nowhere too exciting, I'll hope." 

Lucio's lips curled into a smile.   
"Tired out?" 

"Something along those lines." 

He took a pace closer, moving one hand to take the gemstone pendant of a necklace in a golden hand, the sharp fingertips of his gauntlet running over the delicate curvature of the stone. His eyes lingered there. 

Appra's eyes looked over him. The quirk of a smile over his lips, the sharp slope of his nose and the smears of eyeliner around his pale grey eyes. His eyes flicked from the necklace to Appra's, catching their lingering gaze.   
"Is there something you're looking at?"

The blush that came was as sudden as it was frustrating. They shook their head, letting out a frustrated murmur.   
"Nothing at all," they said, turning away from Lucio and taking his touch away from the necklace around their neck. 

Maybe they were just tired. They had no reason to find Lucio's company so enjoyable after whatever presumably shady deal he'd just gotten in on, or after he'd dragged them this way and that in such an overwhelming environment, but something about how he'd been looking at them almost made them feel warm. 

Lucio's arm settled about their waist again. Human fingers, human warmth, not the metal hand that had held their necklace.   
"Let me take you somewhere we can rest, then," he said with a hum, "In fact, why don't I take you around to the palace? I can find you somewhere to rest and you can get an exclusive tour in the morning."

There was something in his voice again. Something that Appra couldn't place. Presumably it was flirty, perhaps just his regular boasting, but the idea of going somewhere with Lucio, of not having to go back to an empty shop again, sounded perfect. They flashed Lucio with a smile, inching closer to him despite the hold that he already had on them.   
"And am I getting a tour for any reason in particular? Or are you still trying to prove that you can impress me?" 

Lucio's hand squeezed again. He seemed to like it - keeping ahold of them. Making sure they knew he could feel their closeness and that he liked it. 

They liked it, too. 

"Would I ever do something just to impress?" he asked, almost humming, a sarcastic tease for the rest of the time that they'd spent together. Appra shook their head, a light and sweet laugh bubbling up from their throat. Lucio's own smile grew at the sound, a blush almost coming to his cheeks but being gone before Appra would have noticed.   
"I don't know, let's ask anyone who's ever met you," they quipped, letting Lucio guide them along the winding Vesuvian paths to the palace, letting the crowd part for the suddenly inseparable duo. 

Perhaps they'd imagined how much tighter Lucio's hold had gotten on that walk back or perhaps not, but any thoughts of the shop or of Asra's sudden trip had left them. 

How could anyone dislike the ever-charming Count Lucio?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got like two nice comments in the last week so i finally updated again <3 didnt realise it was nearing six months oops
> 
> also i didnt proofread a second of this so if theres a problem lmk LMAO


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